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(No Model.)

H. T. BEAM.

OAR COUPLING. No. 300,299. Patented June 10, 1884.

a nfl a3 UNITED STATES Parent Oriana HENRY T. BEAM, OF ROBINSON,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TXVOTHIRDS TO W'ILLIAMI G. JONES AND THOMAS ATEN,BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,299, dated June 10,1884.

Application filed March 2-2, 1884. (No model.)

' which- Figure l is a perspective of the draw-bar and selfcouplerconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection of two draw-bars provided with my improvementin couplers. Fig. 3is a longitudinal vertical section of one of the draw-bars, the hook ofthe co-operating draw-bar being shown in dotted hues.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the fignres.

A represents a coupling-head of any suitable drawbar, as A, and it isdivided into two compartments, B B, the central portion between thembeing perforated, as at a, for the passage of any ordinary coupling-pin,a, which may be used with an ordinary coupling-link, a, which is passedback of the coupling-pin in a recess, a, formed in the front edge of thepartition. By the construction thus far described my coupler is adaptedfor use in con nection with draw-bars of old'style. Passing transverselythrough the walls of the coupler-head and through the partition is ashaft, 0, provided with a hand-wheel, c, or it may be with any suitablecrank or lever rigidly mounted thereon. In one of the compartinentsas,for example, the compartment B is a hook, I), mounted loosely upon theshaft 0, and upon which shaft, outside of the head, is mounted an arm orarms, 0, which is bent inwardly and proj ccted into the compartments B Band under the hooks in said compartments, so that by rotating the saidshaft the hooks in each compartment may be disengaged in order toseparate the cars from each other. There being in each head a singlehook projecting from one of its compartments, it will be seen that whentwo heads are brought op positc each other the hook of one compartmentof each head will enter the vacant compartment of the opposite head, andthe beveled point (/1 of each hook will come against the shaft 0, rideup and over the same, and then drop to place, thus connecting the twoheads together through the medium of the hooks. the shaft and of thearms rigidly connected therewith serves to elevate the free ends of thehooks, so as to free them from the shafts and permit of the separationof the cars.

As shown in Fig. 1, a rod, 0, may be con nected pivotally with one ofthe arms 0' and extended to the platform of a car or to its roof,whereby the shaft and its arms may be operated from these localities. Asseen in the draw-head at the right of Fig. 2, the arms 0' do not extendcompletely through the head, but only partially into the compartmentsthereof, where they come in contact with flanges or ribs (1', formed onthe outside of each of the links, whereby the hooks may be elevated, asabove described. To permit the passage and operation of the arms 0 inand across the compartments, a slot or opening, c is made through theflanged portion of the head.

If desired, there may be secured to that por tion of the arm 0 whichcomes beneath the hooks a metallic spring finger or guidepieces, a, uponwhich the hook may ride in its passage over the shaft, and which willprevent the hook from catching on the arm 0 as it is withdrawn from thehead.

If desired, aspring-depressed latch, c having its front edge beveled, asshown in Fig. 3, may be suspended from the upper wall of the head in oneor both of the compartments thereof. To maintain the latch in adepressed upper surface of the compartment, with its free end restingupon a projection formed on. the latch, (or the spring above may beused,) so that as the hook advances within the compartment over and backof the shaft 6 the spring-latch has a tendency to force it down andprevent it from reacting and escaping from the shaft. This featureis notabsolutely essential to the operation of my invention, be- I cause eachof the hooks D is given sharp positive undercut, so that its point 1)projects So, also, as described, the rotation of condition, a spring, ais secured to tlie'inner I Well under the shaft. It will be noticedthat, as the strain comes ultimately upon the shaft, the solid portionof the head, as shown clearly in Fig. 3 at a, acts to re-enforce theshaft, whereby great strength is secured.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The head A, having the passages leading into the compartments B Bbeveled upward, and the shaft 0, passing therethrough, supported by thefloor of the beveled passages, and adapted for engagement with theconpling-hook, in combination with a hook, D, loosely mounted on theshaft 0, and the arm or arms 0, rigidly mounted on said shaft andpassing through the compartments, substantially as shown and described.

HENRY T. BEAM.

WVitnesses:

E. E. MASSON, L. O. HILLS.

